After All These Years
by kelles
Summary: Fuu's feelings for Jin and Mugen have not changed since their journey ended even though nearly five years have passed. They are still both in her life although not quite the way she wants. Something happens that changes their fate forever.


Although she never wanted to admit the truth, even it was just to herself, Fuu still thought about the two of them almost every day. It was hard to believe that five years had passed since their journey ended. Jin and Mugen, the two were so different and yet so much the same. Fuu grinned remembering bits and pieces of their journey. They had been as different as night and day and yet something about the two men was the same. She poured herself a cup of saki and sat down at the table inside her small cottage. Fuu thought it was funny how they all ended up living near each other. Mugen lived in village a little to the north of her and Jin lived in a small town to the south. The two of them would visit the tea house she worked a few times a year, but never at the same time. Fuu wondered what that would be like if the three of them were together. _If only_, she thought. She missed the way the two of bickered, although back then they drove her crazy. Fuu was always afraid the two men were going to kill each other.

Much to her regret, neither one of them had made a pass at her during their visits. She thought for sure Mugen would after a few years. She was prettier than most of the women he left the tea house with, but he only flirted and teased her. _Bastard_, she thought. _What do they have that I don't?_ One night when when they both stayed up late drinking sake and talking, she asked him. His answer made her to drop her cup and turned her a dark shade of red.

"Itttsss because I care about you, Fuu." Mugen slurred his words. "You shoulda known that. Stupid broad. You deserve a good guy, honey. I ain't a good man." Mugen winked at her. "Aww, look I made you blush." Mugen took another drink of saki. "I'd kiss you but...aww shit."

For a second Fuu thought that he _was_ going to kiss her. Mugen put his hand on her shoulder and looked at her like he never had before. Their lips almost met but then _those_ stupid women ruined the moment.

"Mugen! What're you doing here? We were waiting for you at the inn." Two voluptuous and obviously drunk women called to him from the door. One of them glared at Fuu.

"Jus' a second." He got up slowly, never taking his eyes off of Fuu. "You **know** it's better this way." He lowered his voice and his tone got serious. "Find yourself a good man, Fuu. You know, someone to take care of you. Because if anyone hurts you, I _will _kill him." He started to walk away but glanced back at her.

"Somebody like---what's name? That damn silent samurai. I _know_ you were jealous of that girl he had. But, he'd treat you right."

Fuu blushed again and threw her saki cup at him. "What? You-you-you wish I was jealous. You pervert! Just get out of here Mugen, before I throw you and your _friends_ out"

Mugen smirked at her. "Aww don't be jealous of them bitches. They ain't nuthin but a good fuck---"

"Good night, Mugen!" Fuu cut him off and walked, not ran, into the kitchen. She couldn't let him see her face because then he'd see the disappointment in her eyes. It was easier to run and hide than admit the truth.

* * *

Maybe she _was_ jealous of Jin. The ronin would stop by for a meal or a cup of tea when he had business in town. Fuu enjoyed his visits just as much as Mugen's, even if they were different. Jin was an assistant instructor at a dojo and the job suited him well. He came to Fuu's village to see the sword maker and other craftsmen – or at least that is what he said. Fuu sometimes wondered if he could be coming to see her. Or was that just what she wished for? His visits seemed to be becoming more frequent, even though the distance between the two of them remained the same. _Damn him, _she thought. Even now, after all these years, he wouldn't let her get any closer.

The last visit had left her stunned and she wanted to see Jin again to find out if things could change between them. One of the regulars had drunk too much saki and wouldn't leave her alone. Fuu hadn't minded it too much, she had gotten used to that kind of thing. At least _someone_ realized she was a woman, even if he was a perverted teenager.

"All come home with me, Fuu-chan. You know you want to. How long has it been since you've gotten laid"?

"That is none of your business, Shinji! If you don't leave me alone, you won't be allowed back---" Fuu stopped mid sentence when she felt a hand on her breast. The brat had gone too far.

"Or are you still a virgin? Let _me_ turn you into a woman. I promise you won't regret it." The boy whispered into her ear.

"You little pervert! Just what do you think you're doing?" She turned around to punch him but saw Jin had him by his neck.

"You don't talk that way to a lady." The samurai said quietly, tightening his hold around the boy's neck.

"Jin?" Fuu asked, confused as hell. _When had he come in?_

"I'm sorry, Fuu-chan. I didn't know you had guards here! I was only kidding around." Shinji cried out. "Please Fuu-chan, don't let him kill me."

"Jin, let him go. He's just a harmless perverted brat." Fuu glared at the boy who ran out of the teahouse the minute Jin loosened his grip.

"I'm taking a break." Fuu announced. They sat down and shared a cup of tea and some rice. Fuu couldn't stop smiling, thinking of how Jin defended her honor.

"Thank you, Jin." Fuu said. "But you know I could have handled that little brat. I don't need you to rescue me like…"

"Like all the times Mugen and I rescued you on our journey." Jin continued to eat. "The boy wasn't listening to you."

"Yeah, like those times, but I'm not a 17 year old kid anymore, Jin." Fuu said. "Well, Shinji's not very good at listening but I _was_ going to make him. I have my ways, you know." Fuu noticed Jin staring at her and she felt herself starting to blush. The samurai was looking at her so intensely. "But, thank you."

"You're right about that, Fuu," Jin said. "You're not a kid any longer." He continued to stare at her and as much as she wanted to Fuu couldn't look away. She was in another world for a few moments and didn't even hear her boss call her name three times to pick up an order until he started screaming.

"I-I-I have to get back to work." Fuu got up from the table reluctantly. "I'll talk to later, right?"

"Perhaps," Jin said and peered deeply into Fuu's eyes again and then looked away suddenly. "I have to meet with Taima-sama soon."

Fuu smiled at him wishing she could think of a polite way to ask him if he wanted to stay with her tonight. It wouldn't be proper but Jin was so damn sexy tonight. Fuu was tired of formalities. An image of the samurai, shirtless and his hair down, entered her mind and she felt her body get warm.

"Fuu!!! We have customers waiting for their food!" The chef screamed.

Fuu got up so quickly that she didn't have time to say good bye. She felt Jin's eyes on her as she served the other customers but avoided looking at him. If their eyes met again, Fuu was afraid she'd end up covering the customers with their orders. By the time things slowed down, Jin had left.

"Damn it," she said. "I wanted to say good bye."

"To that sexy samurai – I don't blame you one bit. He was watching you, Fuu." Tomie, one of the other servers winked at her. "Oh I almost forgot. That samurai said he had to go but he'd talk to you next time he was in town."

"Thanks, Tomie." Fuu sighed, disappointed she didn't even see him leave.

"I'll tell you one thing, Fuu. If it were me, I would _already_ have done more than talk with him."

"Shut up, idiot! We're just friends. It's always been like that between Jin and me. I've known him for ten years." Fuu sighed. "He only thinks of me like a kid sister."

"Wake up, Fuu! The way he was looking at you. That isn't the way one looks at a friend or a sister. Well, not unless they're friends with benefits or if they have sinful feelings towards their sister."

"Friends with benefits? What _are_ you talking about, Tomie?" Fuu asked, confused. _All friends had benefits didn't they?_

"Fuu, I swear when it comes to sex, you are so naïve."

"And **you** are such a pervert, Tomie." Fuu replied. But maybe, Fuu thought, it wasn't so bad to be a pervert. She doubted that Tomie would be sleeping alone tonight, unlike her.

* * *

It had been a month since that night and neither Mugen nor Jin had been to see her. _God,_ she thought, _I hope they come by soon._ She missed the two men, as hard as it was for her to admit it. She really did love them both, even though they were so different. _I can't love two men, _she told herself, _it just isn't proper._ _I don't want to be like Tomie._ But, she did love them, both Mugen and Jin. She had fallen in love with them during their long journey to find her father. Although five years had passed since they parted, her feelings remained the same.

When they had parted, Fuu thought she would meet another man, fall in love and get married. There had been many who pursued her over the years and she had even turned down a few serious marriage proposals from good men. There was nothing wrong any of those guys. They probably could have offered her a good life but they weren't _them_. _The truth is,_ she thought, _after all these years, my heart still belongs to those damn men._


End file.
